Insomnia
by Rosalind2013
Summary: Given everything they've been through, it's unsurprising that some of the Titans suffer from insomnia. Light BBxRae fluff.


**They say you never forget your first love, and I think that rings true with fandoms as well. Teen Titans was my introduction to fan fiction, and I learned so much from the writers in this section when I first started out.**

 **To anyone who saw this as an Author Alert and came to read it, thanks so much for your support. I appreciate you!**

 **To anyone who has never read my work before: Welcome! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Insomnia**

Raven made her way through the darkened hallways of Titans Tower with bags under her eyes and single-minded determination to obtain a piping hot cup of tea. She wasn't sure exactly what time it was, but it was probably somewhere around three in the morning if she had to hazard a guess.

She wished she could have gone back to sleep, but her dreams had been unsettling to say the least.

Raven stifled a yawn as she pressed the button on the elevator, and waited patiently for it to arrive.

"You too?" a hushed voice said, drawing her attention to Beast Boy's approach.

Her lips turned up in a ghost of a smile at his haggard appearance. She shrugged.

"Sleep and I don't get along these days," she said.

"Yeah," Beast Boy agreed. "Who needs sleep anyway?"

Raven's lips twitched ever so slightly, and the doors to the elevator slid open. Beast Boy gestured to the opening.

"After you," he said.

"How gallant of you," she deadpanned as she stepped into the elevator.

Beast Boy chuckled quietly stepped in behind her.

"It's like three in the morning. I'm doin' my best," he said.

The elevator lowered them to the Common Room level, and they both headed to the kitchen in relative silence. Beast Boy poured himself a glass of soymilk and hoisted himself up to sit on the counter.

Raven hadn't the energy to scold him, so she leaned against the cabinets while she waited for her water to boil. She scrubbed at her eyes in an effort to ease the itch of tiredness, and she heard Beast Boy yawn.

"You look tired," he said.

"Very perceptive, Beast Boy," Raven retorted, without any real bite to her tone.

As expected, Beast Boy was unfazed by her sarcasm. He took a sip of his drink and then offered her a smile.

"Wanna talk about it?" he offered.

Raven narrowed her eyes at him as she weighed her options. She could brush him off with another sarcastic remark, or this could be a bonding moment. He waited patiently while she made up her mind.

"Nightmares," she said vaguely.

Her gaze skittered away from him, but she could tell he'd nodded by the movement in her peripheral vision.

"Yeah, those are the worst," Beast Boy said.

A comfortable silence fell between them, and Raven allowed her mind to drift a bit. The whistle of the teakettle cut through the silence, and she swiftly removed it from the heat to pour boiling water into her waiting mug.

She cradled the warm cup to her chest, reveling in the warmth that radiated from it. Raven let the steam billow up and warm her face; it was rejuvenating.

Almost as good as getting actual sleep.

"It's a full moon," Beast Boy said, eyes trained on the giant bay window that overlooked the city.

Raven paused as she considered how many animals were allegedly affected by lunar phases.

"Is that why you can't sleep?" she asked.

"I dunno." Beast Boy shrugged. "The funny thing about having animal instincts is that there's no instruction manual."

Raven nodded thoughtfully.

"I imagine it would get confusing sometimes," she said.

"You have no idea," Beast Boy laughed. "I'm just glad I don't bolt every time I get scared."

Raven was fairly amused at the thought of Beast Boy behaving like a prey animal.

"You'd be a pretty terrible superhero," she concluded.

"You can say that again," he said with a snicker.

Raven leaned against the counter beside him, leaving a few inches of space between his knee and her elbow. She adjusted her grip on the mug, knowing the tea was much too hot to drink just yet.

"Beast Boy," she began.

He stiffened as she pinned him with a calculating gaze.

"Yeah?"

"None of our lives have really been a walk in the park," Raven began, holding his gaze seriously.

Beast Boy gave her a baffled smile and waited for her to continue.

"But you're always so cheerful. How?" she asked.

His smile faded into something a bit more wistful, and he leaned back on his hands as he mulled it over. Raven waited while he gathered his thoughts, eager to hear his take on things.

"The way I see it, why waste time feeling sorry for myself when I have so much to be thankful for?" he reasoned.

Raven blinked in surprise.

"I have everything I need. Sweet digs, a tight family, and the best job in the world," Beast Boy said with a wide grin.

When he listed everything out like that, it made perfect sense. It actually made Raven feel a little silly for focusing on the negatives.

"I suppose you're right," she said.

Beast Boy's grin morphed into an insufferable smirk.

"What'd you say?" he asked.

Raven gave him a flat look, and would've crossed her arms if she weren't holding a hot beverage.

"What I said was the result of sleep deprivation. Nothing more, nothing less," she said.

"You said I was _right_ ," Beast Boy bragged, wiggling his eyebrows obnoxiously.

"I was obviously delusional," she retorted.

He snickered, but allowed the topic to drop. They lapsed into companionable silence as Raven toyed with the idea of elaborating on her nightmare.

"It was a stupid dream," Raven muttered, eyeing at the digital clock on the microwave with disdain. It read 3:48, and she wished she were sound asleep instead of sipping tea in the kitchen.

"If it upset you, it's not stupid," Beast Boy reasoned.

He placed a hand on her shoulder in solidarity, and Raven made no move to shrug it off. She briefly met his gaze before returning to her staring contest with the surface of her tea.

"I dreamed that I showed up to the mayor's gala without a date," she said.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow uncomprehendingly. "But you always do," he pointed out.

Raven sighed. "I know, and it's never bothered me before," she grumbled.

"But it bothered you in the dream?" he guessed.

"Not immediately," she said. "I was with the team at first, but we got separated by the crowd. I was standing in the middle of the room and everything was just so loud. People were staring, and I was alone. I just wished they would _stop_."

Frustration creased her forehead, and she gazed into her teacup as if it held the answers to all of her questions.

"Then they all turned to stone," she concluded.

"Oh," he said.

Beast Boy gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaning in to meet her gaze. His green eyes were kind, and Raven found herself clinging to the wordless reassurance he offered her. His smile was full of understanding, and Raven couldn't help but to relax into their easy camaraderie.

The silence that filled the space between them was a comfortable one. Raven sipped her tea while Beast Boy nursed his glass of soymilk. She was still exhausted, but his presence took some of the anxiety out of the equation.

Early morning meet-ups were a common occurrence between them, and they'd grown comfortable with their routine over the years. Sometimes she'd listen to Beast Boy talk through the thoughts that kept him awake, and sometimes they sat in silence. Robin also suffered from insomnia, so on particularly bad nights, all three of them wound up making small talk in the wee hours of the morning.

At times she envied Starfire and Cyborg their ability to sleep through the night.

"You know, I could be your date to the gala," he said, as if commenting on the weather.

Raven scoffed, and Beast Boy turned to her with an affronted expression.

"I was serious!" he declared.

The sorceress blinked in surprise.

"Oh. I thought you were being facetious," Raven explained.

"…I don't know what that means," Beast Boy said, crossing his arms across his chest and scowling like a petulant child.

Raven cracked a smile and reached across the space between them to place her hand over his.

"I thought you were trying to be funny," she translated.

His pouty expression melted away to pleasant surprise, and she felt a stirring of warmth in her chest as he met her eyes.

"I'd be honored to have you as my date, Beast Boy," she said.

His answering smile was blinding, and he was practically vibrating in place as he tried to contain his excitement at the prospect.

"You won't regret it, Rae! I'll be on my best behavior," he assured her.

Amusement danced in her violet eyes as she regarded his easygoing grin, and she bumped him with her shoulder.

"I'll hold you to that."


End file.
